Big numbers and brighter smiles for underserved children in Salt Lake City

Community News

Feb 10, 2025

(L to R) Dean Adam, Senior Stakeholder Engagement Representative from MPC’s Salt Lake City refinery, and Dr. Renee Coffman, President and co-founder of Roseman University of Health Sciences, during the presentation of the 2024 Community Partner Legacy Award that recognized MPC’s ongoing support of Roseman’s outreach to underserved families.

Key Points

Hundreds of underserved families in the Salt Lake City, Utah, area are getting help to improve the oral health of their children.
The Give Kids A Smile event at Roseman University of Health Sciences provided more than half a million dollars’ worth of free dental care and vouchers.
For the fourth consecutive year, a grant from Marathon Petroleum’s Salt Lake City refinery made the event possible.

For many children and teens in underserved families, dental care is not a routine part of their lives. The Roseman University of Health Sciences College of Dental Medicine is continuing its work in 2025 to help change this reality in the Salt Lake City, Utah, area.

A boy is holding a large oversized tooth model up to his face which results in a pretend smile. — The monetary value of the free services and vouchers provided to patients during the Give Kids A Smile event amounted to more than $505,000.

In a single day at the end of January, Roseman faculty, students and staff provided free dental screenings, cleanings and fluoride sealants to 562 children and teens from qualifying low-income households. Patients also received complimentary vouchers to use in the future for free comprehensive exams, x-rays, sealants and as much as $100 in additional dental care at the school’s clinical practice, Roseman Dental.

“Marathon Petroleum’s commitment has been instrumental in helping us reach vulnerable populations and foster lifelong healthy habits.”

This event, part of the American Dental Association Foundation’s Give Kids A Smile® program, was made possible for the fourth consecutive year by a $50,000 grant from Marathon Petroleum Corporation’s (MPC) Salt Lake City refinery. The grant will also underwrite a similar outreach effort in August that’s called the Back-to-School Brush Up™.

The Give Kids A Smile event in January provided free dental care to 562 children and teens from qualifying low-income households in a single day.

“Our partnership with Marathon Petroleum has been invaluable. Its sponsorship of these events has allowed thousands of children and their families to gain financial access to quality oral healthcare,” said Dr. Ryan Moffat, Roseman’s Assistant Dean for Oral Healthcare Education.

Data the school collected during the Give Kids A Smile event illustrate its impact:

50% – percentage of patients with no dental home
66% – percentage of patients with decay in four for more teeth
$505,000 – monetary value of the services and vouchers provided

Roseman University faculty, students and staff collaborated in serving patients at the event, which was made possible for the fourth consecutive year by a $50,000 grant from MPC’s Salt Lake City refinery.

Roseman recently recognized MPC’s ongoing support over the past several years with the school’s 2024 Community Partner Legacy Award. The presentation came during a celebration of the school’s 25^th anniversary at the end of last year.

Patient data that Roseman University collected indicated that 50% of the families that attended had no dental home or regular relationship with a dental care provider.

“This award is presented to a community partner who has demonstrated an enduring commitment to Roseman University through repeated philanthropic support, including time, resources and mentorship,” said Dr. Jeremy Wells, Roseman’s South Jordan campus Chancellor. “Marathon Petroleum’s commitment has been instrumental in helping us reach vulnerable populations and foster lifelong healthy habits.”